Welcome
Tones
A focused studio tool for turning photographs into readable value shapes before you begin painting.
Reduce a photograph to four adjustable values so its light and shadow structure becomes clear.
Use Square or Imperial grids to carry proportions onto any paper or standard watercolour sheets.
Paint over shapes that do not read well, explore palettes, and mix source detail back into the study.
There are three modes: Frame mode pans and zooms so you can compose the image, Paint mode draws using Touch or Apple Pencildraws using touch, and Measure mode locks the canvas while you compare proportions.
Quick access
Add Tones to your Home Screen
Use it like an app
Adding Tones to your Home Screen gives you a dedicated icon and a cleaner full-screen workspace.
- Open the browser Share menu.
- Choose Add to Home Screen.
- Confirm the name, then tap Add.
Transferring proportions
About the grids
Both grids help you transfer an image accurately from the screen to paper by giving you smaller, easier shapes to compare.
Imperial grid
Useful for standard watercolour sheets—including half and quarter sheets—or any paper with imperial proportions.
Divide the page in half, then divide each section in half again. Because the divisions repeat, you can often judge them by eye when a ruler is not available.
Square grid
Works with any paper dimensions. Simply draw a grid of equal squares across the sheet, then copy what you see one square at a time.
Grids are no substitute for drawing practice, but they make it easier to transfer an image accurately and understand the relationships between its shapes. Draw the grid faintly in pencil, or tape down cotton thread to create a removable grid without marking the paper.
Reference